#single stem orchids

[bootsukki]

the first time tsukki buys you flowers, it’s almost by accident.

he’s on his way to your house after practice, passing by a small flower shop, when a bouquet of soft yellow tulips catches his eye. he has no idea why he stops to look at them—maybe it’s the way they remind him of you, always bright and warm. checking his wallet, he enters the shop and buys them.

truth be told, he doesn’t expect much of a reaction from you, you have been dating for four months and he doesn’t even know if you like flowers (he knows you’re not allergic though because you always tend to the school garden with one of your friends) and when he arrives, he just shoves them into your arms.

but, when your eyes widen in delight, your fingers tighten around the stems and you look at him like he’s just handed you the stars, he knows he’s fucked.

you cling to his arm all the afternoon, giggling every time you look at the flowers and kissing him endlessly, he feels his cheeks burning.

“I should have just brought you candy.” he mutters, pretending to be annoyed.

but he does it again. and again. and again.

sometimes, he starts picking up flowers on random days—after practice, when he sees sales on his konbini… you react the same way, eyes bright, arms thrown around him, pressing kisses to his face. he mumbles under his breath but he never pulls away from your hugs and precious kisses he cherishes so much.

he continues doing so when you go to tokyo to study and he stays in sendai. every two weeks, without fail, a bouquet arrives at your doorstep, always with a note scrawled in his familiar and neat handwriting, “try not to kill these before i visit you, pretty.”

and when he sees you again, you throw yourself at him in the middle of the train station and, like always, he lets you. because he’s missed this and you.

even after college, the flowers never stop.

the day he thinks about proposing, he goes back to your old text messages, finding your messages and pictures about every single bouquet he has given you and asks for a special bouquet filled with one of every single important bouquet he has given you, from the tulips to the roses he gave you last anniversary.

as he hands you the bouquet and goes down on one knee, you tear up and nod, hands shaking as he puts the ring on your finger and he knows he made the right choice by choosing you.

the morning of your wedding is a blur of soft laughter and excitement as you sit down on the chair to start getting your makeup and hair done.

but before they can start, yachi clears her throat, drawing your attention.

“i have something for you.”

yachi grins, stepping aside to reveal the most beautiful bouquet resting in one of the vanities.

you gasp—the bouquet is a masterpiece filled with pastel calla lillies, clemantis, veronicas and slipper orchids. you stand up, reaching out for the flowers, brushing over the beautiful petals. and then, you see your name written in his familiar handwriting in an envelope.

baby,

i’d like to say that i planned all of this from the beginning, that the first time i bought you flowers, i already knew i would be doing it for the rest of my life, but the truth is that i didn’t realize until i saw your beautiful eyes and gorgeous smile when you saw the yellow tulips.

i love your smile and i wanted to see you smile. you looked at me like i had given you the world and you held to them like you never wanted to let go.

so, i kept bringing them every chance i had. do you remember how sad you were when the wind ruined the bouquet i gave you during your last finals weeks? i got so mad and sad that i ran to the store at nearly 2 am to buy you some and get them sent to you the following day.

i am not good with words, you know that so i guess that i found everything that i wanted to say through flowers: i miss you, you’re the best thing that has happened to me, i love you, i want to spend the rest of my life with you…

i think that this one is the most special one. do you remember all those late night work i had to do? i lied, sorry.

i was getting special lessons from the florist down the street: how to prepare a bouquet, how to cut the stems perfectly so they last longer, how to take care of them… all of that so i could get you what i think it is the prettiest bouquet of all the ones i have gotten you although i don’t think they are as beautiful as you are but i have selected them because their delicate colors and smoothness makes me think of you and i don’t know, i wanted to remind you that you are always on my mind.

holy shit, you and me forever. FOREVERRRRRRRRR (if you see tear marks while you read this, those are NOT mine).

i love you baby, i’ll wait for you at the end of the aisle so, take a deep breath, wipe those tears (I know you are probably crying) and see you soon. can’t wait to make you my wife.

-kei.

you clutch the letter to your chest as tears spill freely onto your cheeks and your friends laugh softly, cleaning their own tears as well.

“is it too late to use this as my wedding bouquet?”

[literaryvein-reblogs]

When your Character Loves Flowers

Adam-and-eve - a type of orchid (i.e., a plant with unusually shaped flowers) that grows in North America and has yellow flowers that are purple at the end, and a single leaf with thin pale stripes on it

Amaryllis - a plant with groups of white or pink flowers, or a similar plant with red or purple flowers that is often grow for indoor use and is popular at Christmas

Angel's trumpet - a bush or small tree with long, brightly-colored flowers that have a pleasant smell in the evening

Beargrass - a tall plant, with small white flowers at the top that form an oval shape, that grows in high areas of the northwestern U.S.

Bee balm - a plant with red, pink, purple, or white flowers that are attractive to bees

Butterfly weed - a plant found in North America with groups of bright orange flowers

Christmas rose - a European, evergreen (i.e., that never loses its leaves) kind of Hellebore that is grown in gardens and produces white or pink flowers in winter

Death camas - any of several poisonous North American plants of the lily family with leaves like grass and small white flowers

Elephant ear - a garden plant with large heart-shaped leaves

Flamingo flower - a tropical plant with red, white, purple, or pink flowers, that is often used as a houseplant

Garlic mustard - a wild plant with small white flowers and leaves that smell like garlic that can cause problems in areas where it does not grow naturally

Grape hyacinth - a plant that is grown in gardens or in a container inside a house, with small groups of round blue flowers that grow close together around one thick stem

Hybrid tea - a kind of rose with large flowers that sometimes have no smell

Love-in-a-mist - a garden plant with delicate leaves and blue, white, or purple flowers

Mock orange - a bush with white flowers that have a pleasant smell

Multiflora rose - a rose bush that produces thick groups of small sweet-smelling flowers

Old man's beard - a climbing plant that grows wild in the UK and Europe; it has white flowers, and seeds with long parts that look like white feathers or hair

Poached egg plant - a small plant with delicate leaves, and flowers that have white edges and yellow centers

Traveler's joy - a climbing plant that grows wild in the U.K. and Europe; it has white flowers, and seeds with long parts that look like white feathers or hair

Yellow avalanche lily - a plant with very small yellow flowers that grows in the mountains in western North America

Source ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[voxslays]

OSHIBANA — HWANG IN-HO

SUMMARY: Days before your passing, In-ho gives you a lovely bouquet filled with your favorite flowers, as he spends his days by your side—only to discover you turned it into art and preserved it for him to find years later.

This was it. You were dying. He had tried everything to save you. First it was taking out the loans, accepting ‘bribes,’ begging the doctors. Then, it was the games. He had won and come out of the, victorious just for you and your unborn child—which by the time he had arrived at the hospital, was placed into his arms.

It was a happy, bubbly baby girl, and In-ho couldn’t have been happier in that moment…until, he learned of your condition. You looked fine on the outside—maybe a little tired, but overall, you looked like a healthy new mother. But on the inside, your liver was failing. When In-ho was told the news, he couldn’t help but burst into tears, which was becoming less and less rare for him.

The doctors were unsure how many days you had left, so In-ho decided to make them your happiest. He grabbed a bouquet of your favorite flowers. There were orchids, lillies, hydrangeas and many more. Your husband couldn’t help but smile when he saw your bright beaming expression as he handed you the bouquet.

It was ironic. As your breaths grew shorter and shallower, the flowers started to lose their vibrant colors. As you started to decay, they did too. And one day, they were completely gone and the case was left empty. In-ho assumed one of the nurses had taken them, which upset him more than he cared to admit. Couldn’t his beautiful wife get one last glimpse of her favorite flowers before she was gone forever?

But before he knew it, you were dead. In-ho was left as a wealthy widower and single father—left to wander the struggles of parenthood alone. You always knew just what to say to cheer him up, but now that you were gone, he just felt numb and empty inside. A husk of himself before all the games and struggles.

————

Today was the sixth anniversary of your death. In-ho had packed up everything and brought himself and your daughter, Ae-cha to the island per Il-nam’s request. Life as the frontman wasn’t horrible, but he noticed himself spending less and less time with your daughter, the circle guards taking the jobs of nanny’s and childcare workers to please their busy boss.

But today, In-ho had taken the day off to spend it with his little girl. Ae-cha was still the same bright, bubbly child she had been the day she was born. Yet, she was six now and had started asking him difficult questions—Just like she was now. “What happened to Eomma?” Ae-cha asks, her tiny form cuddling into her father.

In-ho’s breath hitches. He had always known a day like this would come eventually—but it didn’t make him any more prepared. “She’s in the sky.” He responds, taking a sip of his brandy. After your death, he had tried to drink away the pain, only to be given a harsh reminder of the consequences by his very own brother, Jun-ho.

Ae-cha giggles. “So she’s like an angel?” She kicks her legs playfully. There was never a dull moment with Ae-cha around, was there? She reminded him so much of you—she had your eyes after all. Yet, it wasn’t only that either. Her personality, her playfulness, it all stemmed from you, a mother she never got the pleasantry of meeting.

In-ho sighs, looking at his hyper little demon. “Can I see a picture?” She asks oh so innocently. In-ho puts on a warm smile, his eyes slightly crinkling at the corners as he slowly gets up. “Of course, gongjunim.” He strolls out of the small living space in his private quarters and into his bedroom. He walks past his dark blanketed, queen-sized bed and to the door at the very far wall.

In-ho opens it with ease, heading down the basement like stairs into the cold storage room. Inside, many files and portfolios of players from past and present games reside. Yet, one small shelf in the middle is reserved solely for pictures and memories of you. As he goes to grab a picture for his daughter, his fingers brush against an unfamiliar mahogany frame.

He picks it up, examining it gently in the dim light. Yet, even in the darkness of the storage room he recognizes the imagery. It was a frame with preserved flowers. On the side were your initials and the date: 12/3/15, the day before he lost you forever. The flowers were familiar too. In-ho recognized them as the ones he had gotten you whilst on your death bed.

So it really wasn’t the nurse then, huh?

In-ho felt tears pricking at the corner of his eyes as he saw a small yellow post it stuck firmly onto the back of the frame. “Something to cheer you up! :)” was written in your messy, but cute handwriting. He lightly sets down the frame, as if it’s the most precious artifact in the world—which to him, it is. It’s your last gift to him. A reminder you aren’t coming back.

Your husband finds a pleasant picture of you and carefully puts the framed Oshibana back into the box. He turns off the storage room light and walks back up the stairs, closing the door. He wipes the small teardrops from the corner of his crinkled eyes. If you were here, you’d say something to cheer him up, wouldn’t you? But you couldn’t, and it was pointless to cry.

You weren’t coming back.

[innerfare]

Flowers

Summary: what sort of flowers (or alternatives) they give you

Characters: Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Ace, Sabo, Law, Kid, Usopp, Robin, Nami

Genre: fluff

——— 

Luffy: Not one to buy you flowers. Instead, he picks them. Sometimes they’re weeds he thought looked pretty, other times, he presents you with a lush bundle of pink carnations you think he must have picked from a commercial flower field (this man has no concept of private property). He’s always very proud to present them because he worked hard to secure them; you'd better give him a kiss for his effort. Has, on occasion, accidentally brought you some that are poisonous. Also once brought you a bundle of radishes because he thought you would like the color. Receiving flowers from Luffy can be a bit like receiving a lizard from your pet cat.

Zoro: He won’t really think to buy you flowers until one day you mention that camellias are pretty. He takes that to mean you like camellias, specifically, and not that you’d like to receive flowers in general, so he always buys you camellias, and you think it’s so sweet that you never correct him. He’s not actually a proponent of apology flowers because he thinks a ‘bribe’ cheapens it, but he will bring you flowers when he knows you’re having a hard day. He might also buy you a small bamboo plant that you two end up treating a bit like a pet, giving it a name and everything. 

Sanji: Classic red roses, at least a dozen at a time. He’ll buy you roses in shades of white and pink, as well as the occasional yellow, but a dozen red roses is his go to. He also makes very good use of the petals. Doesn’t need a special occasion to present you with a bouquet. In fact, he always makes sure you have fresh flowers on your nightstand. Additionally, he’s learned to cook a few dishes with edible flowers in them for you, presenting you with all manner of chamomile, chive blossom, and pansy dishes. 

Usopp: Will buy you cheap supermarket flowers on his way to come visit you and will regale you with a long, fanciful tale of crossing oceans and deserts to secure them from the only spot in the world those particular flowers grow, a tale filled with sweet and funny anecdotes that makes you giggle as you trim the stems and place them in a vase of water. He’ll tell you that the flowers have special powers and properties, such as bringing you luck or living forever so long as you smile every day. 

Robin: Is an expert on hanakotoba, the language of flowers; she read a book on it once and thought it was so sweet and beautiful that she read it cover to cover several more times. She always buys you flowers with a specific meaning and then happily explains that meaning to you. Giving you flowers brightens her day as much as it brightens yours. White anemones (sincerity), daffodils (respect), and forget-me-nots (true love) are some of her favorites to give you. 

Nami: Not a traditional kind of girl. She won’t hesitate to buy you roses if you like them, but she gravitates more toward violets, daisies, and the like, smaller flowers that speak to both of you. She’s also a proponent of buying you a single flower that you can put in your hair, and she has bought you a selection of floral hair accessories so you always have flowers for your hair on hand; her favorite is the primrose crown she bought you. 

Ace: He’ll bring you bouquets with a lot of variety that the nice lady at the flower shop helped him put together. He usually builds these bouquets around sunflowers or orange lilies, and he gets very smug when his flowers brighten your day. He’ll also pick flowers for you, but he’s very conscious to only pick the ones that are not weeds. If he finds a field of sunflowers, you will be getting as many as he can carry. Never, ever visits you empty-handed, always brings at least a bouquet of flowers with him. Treats securing flowers for you like hunting for dinner and is always so proud of his bounty.

Law: Gravitates toward orchids, especially in darker shades of pink, purple, and blue; they feel a little moodier and less kitschy than the red roses Bepo tells him he’s supposed to buy to woo you (side note: imagine Law getting relationship advice from Bepo). One night folded an origami flower for you, and you liked it so much that he spent the rest of the night folding an entire bouquet, though he pretends it only took him five minutes. He doesn’t actually give the origami bouquet to you so much as he just sets it on your nightstand one day and mutters something about how the flowers won’t need water. He gets kind of annoyed if you make a big deal out of it. 

Sabo: He’s gone for very long periods of time, so when he returns, he’ll bring you a bundle of peonies or calla lilies, but he also bought you a cherry blossom bonsai tree so you can have flowers even when he’s away. The bonsai tree ends up becoming his baby, and when he is home, he spends quite a bit of time tending to it, to the point you get a little jealous. But it brings you lots of comfort when he’s away, a symbol of your love that’s firmly rooted and eternal. Side note, he will most definitely use flowers to seduce you. 

Kid: If it’s at the point where he’s buying flowers, this man is so far beyond pride he won’t flinch at purchasing a bundle of pink tulips, even if they clash with his outfit/aesthetic. He also presents you one night with a bouquet of metal flowers he made himself. He spent ages on it, but he really didn’t mean to. He intended to make one but got absorbed in his work and made an entire bundle of dainty little metal flowers. He’s oddly proud of himself for making something so delicate and would be crushed if you ever got rid of them. 

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[heliosunny]

Love your writing 😍 about anaxa and phainon

Hoping that I can see more of them✨

Since I've just updated Yandere!Phainon, I'll write Yandere!Anaxa. Thank you for supporting me🩵

Yandere!Anaxa x Florist!Reader

In a quiet kingdom known for its lush flora, you run a small but thriving flower shop, using your magic to cultivate rare and powerful plants. Strong-willed and sharp-tongued, you care little for wealth or titles, only for the flowers that bloom under your care. Then he walks in.

A man shrouded in mystery and danger, arrives with a strange plant in hand and an offer to research it

The bell above your shop’s door chimed softly, signaling a customer. You barely looked up from where you were tending to a tray of delicate orchids, brushing your fingertips over their petals.

“Welcome” you said, voice steady yet warm. “Take your time.”

No response. How strange, most visitors, whether locals or travelers, at least offered a greeting. You turned your gaze toward the entrance only to find a man standing motionless, barely past the threshold.

And the moment your eyes met his, chaos erupted. The vines and roots in your shop, normally docile, swaying gently under your magic suddenly lashed out, twisting and lunging toward him like living creatures with a mind of their own. Thorns glinted under the lantern light, reaching to pierce into his skin.

You moved instantly.

Lifting a hand, you called forth your magic, your power sweeping through the air like an unseen force. The aggressive vines froze, caught mid-air, mere inches from his throat. With a flick of your wrist, they recoiled and slithered back, retreating into the soil.

You let out a slow breath before turning your sharp gaze to the stranger.

Now that you had a better look, you could see why your plants had reacted so violently.

The man before you was no ordinary traveler.

Dark fabric clung to his tall frame, adorned with silver accents and lined with enchanted thread that shimmered faintly under the light. His hair, a cascade of green, framed striking eyes that watched you without a hint of fear.

If anything…

He looked amused.

“I see” he murmured, his tone smooth, almost lazy. “They don’t like me.”

Your grip on your magic remained firm. “That makes two of us.”

A soft chuckle escaped him. “Oh? And here I thought florists were supposed to be welcoming.”

You didn’t smile. “Florists don’t typically get customers who trigger an unprovoked magical attack.”

His gaze flickered to the now-docile vines before returning to you. “Unprovoked, hm?”

You narrowed your eyes. There was something about him. Something unnatural. Your plants had never reacted like that before, not even to dangerous men. Which meant… This man was something else entirely.

Despite the warning signs, you did not turn him away. You were no fool. Forcing him out would only make him return.

Instead, you did what you did best, you observed.

You allowed him to browse your shop, watching from behind the counter as he idly picked up flowers, rolling their stems between his gloved fingers.

The tension in your shop was thick. Your plants remained still, but you could feel them watching, waiting.

Finally, the man turned to you, holding up a single white lily. “I’ll take this one.”

You eyed him. “A white lily?”

He hummed. “Is that a problem?”

You set down your gardening shears, stepping out from behind the counter. “That flower means purity and devotion.”

Another chuckle. “How fitting.”

You frowned. “For you?”

“For you” he corrected smoothly.

You stared. He held the lily up, brushing the petals along his fingers. “You protected me, didn’t you? Even when your magic screamed otherwise?”

“You weren’t in danger” you said evenly. “I was protecting my shop from needless damage. Not you.”

He tilted his head. “Is that so?”

Before you could respond, he did something unforgivable.

He brought the lily to his lips and bit down on the petals.

You snapped. Without thinking, you moved. In a blur of motion, you grabbed his wrist and yanked him forward, slamming him against the wooden counter with surprising strength.

His smirk faltered, eyes widening just slightly.

He wasn’t expecting this.

You leaned in close, voice dangerously soft.

“Don't do that to my flowers.”

His smirk returned, sharper this time. “Apologies” he purred, unbothered by his current position. “I was just curious.”

Your grip on his wrist remained firm. Tight to the point you could feel his pulse. Steady. Unnaturally calm. A normal man would have tensed, would have recoiled at your sudden aggression.

But he didn't. He simply studied your reaction.

Your eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

For the first time, he didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, his gaze softened—just slightly.

Then, he smiled. Is that interest you saw in his eyes?

“I think” he murmured, tilting his head ever so slightly, “I’d like to find that out with you.”

And somehow, despite everything, despite the danger that curled around him like a cloak, you had the sinking feeling that this was only the beginning.

-----

The moment Anaxa placed the plant in your hands, you felt it. It was alive. Not in the way all plants were, this was something else.

The veins in its leaves pulsed faintly, like a slow heartbeat. The roots twitched as if sensing your presence, curling toward your fingers.

You tore your gaze away from it, leveling Anaxa with a sharp look. “Where did you find this?”

His smirk was slow, deliberate. “Does it matter?”

“It does if I’m the one researching it.”

He chuckled, tilting his head slightly. “Then consider it a mystery for you to solve.”

You frowned. He was hiding something.

But that didn’t matter, not yet.

For now, the plant held your full attention. You ran your fingers along the stem, noting the strange texture. Not quite wood, not quite flesh. Somewhere in between.

“How long do I have?” you asked.

Anaxa’s eyes flickered, amused by your immediate interest. “No rush. Take as long as you need.”

“Even if it takes years?”

His lips curled. “I have patience.”

You narrowed your eyes. That was a lie.

No man who smirked like that, who watched you like that, was capable of patience.

But you said nothing. Instead, you turned away, already lost in thought.

This plant… it could change everything.

Days turned to weeks, and the more you uncovered about the plant, the more you realized it was wrong. It absorbed magic. Fed off of it. Craved it.

Your greenhouse had become a battleground of willpower, your magic straining to contain the unnatural hunger of its roots.

But more concerning than the plant itself was him. Anaxa visited often. Too often.

Always watching. Always hovering just close enough that his presence became a shadow at your back, his warmth bleeding into your space.

It was suffocating and you hated that. You didn't use to working under such stressful environment.

“You’re distracted today” he murmured, leaning against the wooden counter as he watched you work.

You didn’t look up. “I have a guest who refuses to leave. I wonder why.”

A low chuckle. “Is that what I am? A guest?”

“What else would you be?”

He hummed, pushing off the counter. You felt him step closer, his presence a tangible weight behind you.

“You tell me, florist.”

The way he said that title, it wasn’t mockery.

It was fond.

You exhaled sharply, fingers tightening around your shears. “You’re getting in the way of my work.”

“I don’t mind” he said smoothly.

“I do.”

He didn’t move.

Instead, he reached out, slow, measured, testing. You felt the ghost of his fingertips skim over your wrist, a barely-there touch and yet it burned.

You turned sharply, your shears flashing between the two of you, the blade stopping just before his throat.

Anaxa merely raised an eyebrow, utterly unbothered. Then, slowly, he smiled.

“You’re so beautiful when you threaten me.”

You stared at him, heart pounding and something inside you twisted.

Not in anger.

Not in fear.

In something far more dangerous.

And from the way his eyes darkened, he knew. Your breath was steady. Your hand did not shake. The shears remained pressed lightly against his throat, just enough for him to feel the cold metal against his skin. But Anaxa… he wasn’t afraid. If anything, he leaned in.

His voice was thick with amusement. “What now, little florist? Will you cut me down like your flowers?”

You exhaled slowly, eyes locked onto his. “Maybe.”

His smirk widened. “Do it.”

Your fingers tensed. Damn him. He was testing you. You hated that part of you, the part he had awakened, that wanted to push back.

You lowered the shears, stepping away. “I have work to do.”

Anaxa chuckled, touching his throat where the shears had been, mockingly thoughtful. “Mm. A shame. I would have liked to see how deep you'd go.”

You shot him a glare. “Don’t tempt me.”

Despite everything, you still let him into your shop.

Anaxa never made himself scarce, always finding reasons to linger, offering idle conversation, watching as you worked, leaving small, carefully chosen gifts.

A book on ancient flora he knew you’d been searching for. A rare seed he procured from a distant kingdom. Even something as simple as a hot cup of tea on particularly exhausting days.

It was all calculated. And it was working. Because despite your wariness, despite knowing exactly what kind of man he was, you found yourself hesitating less when he got close. And Anaxa noticed.

One evening, as you were tending to the strange plant he had brought, you felt him step behind you. His fingers brushed your wrist, guiding your hand over the leaves.

“Do you feel it?” he murmured, his breath warm against your ear.

The plant pulsed beneath your touch.

You swallowed hard. “Yes.”

He hummed, his fingers curling slightly over yours. “Just like you, it thrives on attention.”

Your lips parted to argue, to deny, to push him away. But your traitorous body remained still. That silence was all he needed.

His grip tightened. Just long enough to remind you who was winning this game.

The first incident happened three days later.

A neighboring florist, one of your longtime friends—vanished.

The second incident followed soon after.

Another florist. A merchant. Anyone who spent too much time near you. No bodies. No signs of struggle. Just whispers of disappearances.

And then, the third incident.

This time, the attack was aimed at you.

A masked figure cornered you late at night, their blade glinting under the dim lantern light. But you were no helpless damsel. Before they could strike, you reached into your apron, pulled out a handful of crushed lilies and blew the powder into their face.

The paralysis was instant. The would-be assassin barely had time to stagger before crumpling to the ground, unmoving. You stepped back, breathing heavily, heart hammering.

Then, from the darkness, a slow clap.

You turned, only to find him.

Anaxa stood in the shadows, watching you with that infuriating, satisfied smile.

“You handled that well” he murmured.

Your fingers curled into fists. “This was your doing.”

“Was it?” He tilted his head, stepping closer, eyes never leaving yours. “Strange… I seem to remember warning you that this town had become dangerous.”

You glared. “You expect me to believe this was a coincidence?”

“I expect you to be smart enough to see the truth.” He stopped a mere breath away from you, his fingers reaching out to trace along the petals of the flower in your hair.

“You need me, Y/N.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “And I’m the only one who will stay.”

Your pulse pounded. Not with fear.

But with the bitter realization that he wasn’t wrong.

The disappearances. The attack. The uncertainty in the air. Who else could you trust now?

He had woven himself into your life. And somehow, you had let him. But that didn’t mean you had lost.

Not yet.

So instead of pulling away, instead of rejecting his words, you met his gaze head-on.

“You think you’ve won?” you murmured.

His smile widened. “Haven’t I?”

You leaned in slightly, your breath ghosting against his skin, your fingers grazing his wrist. And then, in a single swift motion. You twisted his arm behind his back, slammed him against the shop’s wooden post, and pressed the sharp tip of your pruning shears to his throat.

Anaxa let out a soft, breathless laugh.

“Ah…” His voice was practically shaking with delight. “Now you’re just teasing me.”

Your grip tightened. “You don’t scare me.”

“You should” he murmured.

You stared at him, heart hammering, waiting for the moment he’d retaliate—waiting for him to strike. But he didn’t. Instead, he leaned into the blade. A thin line of crimson beaded against his pale skin, but he didn’t flinch.

He only smiled.

“Keep me close” he whispered. “Or watch how far I’ll go to get to you.”

A warning. A promise. A challenge.

And for the first time, you realized this wasn’t a game you could walk away from.

You felt the world blur around you.

Heat crept into your veins, slow and insidious, twisting through your body like roots burrowing deep into the earth. Your fingers trembled as you gripped the counter, trying to steady yourself.

Your vision swam, colors bleeding together. Across from you, Anaxa stood, watching you with sick satisfaction.

You had been poisoned.

Not to kill. Not to harm.

But to bind.

“What… did you do?” Your voice came out breathless, weaker than you wanted it to be.

Anaxa’s smile was slow, patient, victorious.

“Shh.” He stepped closer, brushing a gloved hand against your flushed cheek. “Let it settle, little flower. There’s no use fighting it.”

Your breathing hitched. The warmth pooling in your body was unnatural, like a vine curling around your heart, tightening, twisting, refusing to let go.

Your knees nearly buckled. Anaxa caught you effortlessly, guiding you against his chest, holding you as if he had done this before.

As if he had been waiting for this moment.

“You’re strong” he murmured, pressing his lips against your hair. “I knew you wouldn’t fall easily.”

Your pulse pounded in your ears. Fight. Your mind screamed at you. Resist.

But the weight in your limbs, the fog in your head, it was drowning you.

And worst of all, beneath the confusion and anger, something inside you craved the feeling.

The warmth. The presence. His hands on you. His voice in your ears.

You forced yourself to move, shoving against his chest. He allowed it, stepping back just enough to watch you struggle.

Your glare should have been sharp, but the dizziness dulled it. “You… bastard.”

Anaxa chuckled, tilting his head. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, my dear.”

He reached into his coat and pulled out a delicate glass vial.

Inside, swirling with a faint glow, was the same plant you had spent weeks researching.

Understanding slammed into you.

The plant. The rumors. The disappearances.

Your breath came short and shallow. “You planned this from the beginning.”

Anaxa smiled.

“Of course I did.”

Your mind was still reeling, but one thing was clear—Anaxa was not just some wandering researcher.

He was someone powerful. Someone who had influence. And now that you thought about it, his posture, his way of speaking, the way he expected to be obeyed. It was all too familiar.

Royalty.

Your lips parted in realization. “You—”

“I rule the neighbor kingdom, Y/N.” He said it softly, as if it were the simplest truth in the world. “And now, so will you.”

Your stomach twisted. “I never wanted that.”

“But you need it,” he countered. “And you need me.”

You clenched your fists. “What I need is for you to let me go.”

He smiled, patient as ever. “But you won’t leave.”

You narrowed your eyes. “And why is that?”

Anaxa’s stepped closer, his fingers brushing your pulse point. “Because I’ve rooted myself in you.”

Your breath caught.

“You feel it, don’t you?” His voice was low, hypnotic. “That pull. That ache.”

The poison makes you crave him.

Anaxa leaned in, his lips mere inches from yours.

“You are mine now.”

For days, you tried to fight it.

The bond, the warmth, the way his presence made your pulse race.

His voice in your ears. His hands guiding yours as you tended to the flowers. His whispers at night, promising, coaxing, binding.

You hated him. You hated how good he was at this. At pulling you in. At making you his.

And worst of all?

Somewhere along the way…

You had stopped trying to leave.

There was no escape from him. You will soon wither in his arms just like that lily.

[locsandletters]

ᯓ petals; l.colwill

──one shot

pairing ➜ bsf!levi x black!fem!reader

word count ➜ 1.4k

warnings/notes ➜ none

summary ➜ after you casually mention you've never gotten flowers before, levi makes it his mission to send a bouquet every day. he's a little extra like that.

it started out as a joke, really.

you were curled up on the couch, legs draped across levi’s lap, watching some cheesy romantic movie that he insisted he didn't like but somehow was way too invested in. you could see the way his brow furrowed slightly at the more dramatic scenes, how he'd sigh under his breath when the dialogue got too corny. but he didn't move. didn't suggest switching to something else. just sat there with you, his arm resting casually over your shins.

the movie was predictable, the kind where the girl gets swept off her feet by the guy who does all the grand gestures. serenades, dramatic confessions, and, of course, flowers. there's always flowers.

you weren't even really thinking when you said it. the words just slipped out, casual, almost absentminded. “i’ve never had anybody buy me flowers before."

levi had looked at you then, eyebrows raised. "what, ever?" he asked, as if the idea of someone never receiving flowers was absurd. which, to be fair, it probably was. but somehow, no one had ever thought to do it. not for you, anyway.

you shrugged, adjusting yourself on the couch. “i mean, it's not really a thing, is it? like, flowers are pretty, but they just die in a few days. seems kinda pointless."

he didn't say much in response, just nodded like he was thinking it over, and the conversation moved on. you didn't think about it again — at least not until the next morning.

you opened your front door, ready to step out for a coffee run, when you were greeted by a bouquet of lilies sitting on your doorstep. soft pinks and whites that were almost too pretty to touch, with a small card tucked into the stems. you picked it up, turning the envelope over in your hand before pulling out the card.

“you said you've never had flowers before. thought i'd fix that. - l"

you had smiled, shaking your head at his handwriting, a little messy, but undeniably his. you figured this was just levi being levi, being his usual thoughtful self, and so you set the flowers in a vase and went about your day. thinking maybe it was just a one-time thing.

it wasn't.

the next day, it happened again.

this time it was sunflowers. big, bold, unapologetically cheerful sunflowers that seemed to fill up the entire space when you opened the door. the same little card was attached, and you couldn't help but laugh at the message.

"they reminded me of you. bright and slightly dramatic. - l"

you rolled your eyes at the dramatic comment, though the grin on your face betrayed any mock annoyance you tried to muster. because, of course, levi couldn’t give a compliment without sneaking in a jab.

but it didnt stop there.

by wednesday, you were staring at the growing collection, wondering if this man had lost his damn mind. a new bouquet greeted you every morning without fail. roses, tulips, daisies—you name it, he sent it. your apartment was beginning to look like a florist's fever dream, and you were quickly running out of vases.

you'd tried texting him, something light and teasing, like, "okay, levi, you can stop now. i think the neighbours are starting to think i've won the flower lottery or some shit." but his reply was nothing but a string of white heart emojis and a "don't act like you're not loving it."

and the thing was—you were loving it. probably a little too much.

by thursday, your entire living room was flooded in soft pastel hues, the scent of fresh flowers lingering in the air. there were daisies scattered on your coffee table, a bouquet of orchids taking up space on your kitchen island, and you were pretty sure you saw a single rose — deep red, classic — perched on your nightstand, courtesy of a sneaky delivery you hadn't even noticed.

and the cards? they kept getting more random, more ridiculously sweet.

"because you said you like blue and i think that means i need to buy every blue flower in existence. - l"

"my baby cousin helped me pick these ones. - l"

"no reason today, just thought of you. - l"

by friday, you had to call him.

"when i said i've never had anybody buy me flowers before, i didn't mean for you to turn my apartment into a flower shop," you said the moment he picked up, no greeting, just the disbelief in your voice carrying through the phone.

you could hear the smile in his voice. "what, too much?"

you walked through your living room, surveying the sea of petals that seemed to grow by the day. "levi, i literally don't have space to sit down anymore. i'm drowning in flowers."

"that's an exaggeration." he chuckled, and even through the phone, the sound of it made your chest warm. "again, dramatic."

"no," you deadpanned, moving aside an empty vase you had abandoned by the door. "i’m being very literal right now."

he didn't answer for a second, and you could almost picture the grin on his face, the way he always seemed so pleased with himself whenever he did something ridiculous like this. "well, you said no one ever bought you flowers. figured id make up for lost time."

"you really didn't need to go this hard, though," you said, though the smile tugging at your lips was impossible to hide. "a single bouquet would've been fine."

"yeah, but where's the fun in that?" he asked. "besides, i wanted to see you smile."

and there it was. that thing he did. levi had a way of slipping under your skin, getting past your defenses before you even realised it. he could be so casual, so easygoing, and yet, he always found a way to say something that made you pause. made you feel.

because he wanted to make you smile. and that's what made it different. it wasn't about the flowers, or the grand gestures—it was the thought behind it. the way he listened, remembered, cared in these small, almost insignificant ways that added up until they felt overwhelming.

"you're ridiculous, you know that?" you said, voice softer now.

"i've been told," he replied, but his tone matched yours—there was something in the air between you two, something unspoken but undeniable. a shift.

the line went quiet for a beat, and you could feel the words you weren't saying hanging there, suspended in the space between you. because as much as you wanted to pretend this was all lighthearted and fun, you knew that wasn't the whole truth.

you weren't just falling for the flowers, for the sweet notes. you were falling for him. for the way he made you laugh at the smallest things, for the way he seemed to understand you in ways most people didn't. for the way he showed up—physically, emotionally, in all the ways that mattered.

you were falling for him, and as terrifying as that thought was, it was also inevitable.

"so," levi said finally, breaking the silence, "should i stop?"

you blinked, caught off guard by the question. "stop what?"

"sending flowers. i mean, i wouldn't want to overwhelm you or anything," he teased, but there was an edge of sincerity there, like he was testing the waters, waiting for your response.

you hesitated for a moment, thinking it over. but then you glanced around your apartment, at the vibrant bursts of colour that had turned your space into something out of a dream.

"no," you said softly. "don't stop."

"good," he replied, his voice warm and light, and you could hear the smile in his words again. "because i wasn't planning on stopping.”

you laughed, shaking your head. "of course you weren't."

but as you hung up the phone, your heart felt lighter than it had in a long time. because maybe this was more than just a silly gesture. maybe it was levi’s way of showing you something bigger, something you weren't ready to admit just yet, but were starting to understand.

because maybe you were falling for him.

and maybe—just maybe—he was falling for you too.

[vandaliatraveler]

Yet more gifts of Appalachian summer.

I've been on a mission to catalogue as many of Central Appalachia's summer wildflowers and berries as possible for an online project I'm starting up. Above is the haul from yesterday, including the stunning orange-fringed orchid (Platanthera ciliaris), a grand summer orchid of Appalachia's wet seeps and meadows. Downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens), another of our summer-blooming orchids, may not be quite as showy, but its intricately-patterned leaves are quite striking. Turk's-cap lily (Lilium superbum) is also in bloom in our local wet meadows and swamps. It's distinguished from its close cousin Canada lily by more strongly recurved petals and a green, star-like pattern in the center of its flowers. A single Turk's cap lily can produce dozens of flowers from its rangy stems. At home in moist woodland edges and streambanks, summer phlox (Phlox paniculata), sometimes also referred to as fall phlox and garden phlox, produces loads of gorgeous pink or white flowers from mid-July through September. Because this phlox is commonly planted in gardens nowadays, it's hard to know if plants in the wild are true natives or escapees.

[originemesis]

@0p4lx @timetoprey

Has been standing around outside the Exorcist barracks since dawn holding a single orchid stem. Every time he goes to knock though, he stops to check over his shoulder at the position of the sun, then lowers his fist and stands around some more.

Finally when the sun looks about right does he give the large, ornate door a couple of rousing raps only to realize a knock too late that he'd done so with the flower in his fist. Now all that's left in his hand is a dark twig and light purple petals scattered atop his boots.

He knew he should have brought that polar bear jerky instead-

[horrorosier]

lil snippet time !

thank u @sommerregenjuniluft and @moon-seas for the tags! im finally getting around to sharing a snippet, and despite it not seeming like it just yet, it is a little something for a jeggy fic idea i have swimming around in my brain!

Sure, there was the occasional helping hand of either Barty or Evan, but when Barty’s idea of helping a friend out is dramatically lounging back on Walburga’s black, velvet settee, an unlit joint hanging from his lips, there was only so much physical help Regulus received.  Barty never cared, that much is true. Where Regulus put on a mask around his family, Barty did the opposite. He’d lash out, a fox-like grin on his mouth, as he did just about anything to drive his father to the brink of insanity. It worked, though. Regulus cannot recall the last time Barty had to speak to his father. It came at a price, a rather hefty one, which meant Bartemius Crouch Jr. had been, for a lack of better words, forcibly removed from ever receiving a single penny from Bartemius Crouch Sr. Of course, Barty shrugged it off, saying something along the lines of not wanting that kind of dirty money, but deep down, Barty buried his secrets and truth, letting it crack his sternum with the sheer mass of unhealed trauma. Barty had never been too good at hiding his pain, no matter how hard he tried. He’d play it off as some sort of joke, refusing to draw attention to his misery because he was cool like that. However, Regulus is more than capable of reading a room. It stems from the years and years of attempting to read his parents and his parents’ circle; it was a means of self-preservation. But Regulus wouldn’t pry, not until Barty was ready. Evan was a bit better about it, or at least he tried to be. His demeanor was a bit rotten, not something that’s uncharacteristic of Evan Rosier, but his typically sullen morbidity appeared to flare up into something a bit more ghoulish. His sunken eyes and pursed lips became more prominent, and Regulus is stuck on the fact that it’s because he stared far too long at the brutally horrifying portrait of Druella hanging just above the second floor landing. The quietness Evan exhibited and practiced was a reflection of the years he spent being silent, still not finding a moment to own up to his own voice and verbalize his every waking thought to a crowded room. That’s where Barty and Evan differ.  It’s not just chance, but a fact that Evan despised Barty for it at first. Somewhere along the way, Evan became a little numb to Barty’s antics, maybe a little fond even. Not that Regulus would ever try to point that out because, despite Regulus’ general disdain towards life itself, he valued his life a little more than to fall victim to Evan’s sadistic fascination of scalpel-carving. You know, any normal person’s favorite pastime.

no pressure tags @fromagony @star4daisy @futurequibblerjournalist @orchideous-nox @ecstarry @itsjaywalkers @arviyya

[inspofromancientworld]

Flowers of Mythology - Orchid

Orchids are a part of the family Orichidaceae, which are perennial plants that have flowers that are both colorful and fragrant and occur over nearly the entire world, except glaciers, with the most diversity in tropical regions and has about 28,000 species and 763 genera. Orchids make up between 6-11% of all seed plants. Because of this, a very simple description is quite difficult, but in general, they have some shared characteristics that put them apart from other flowers, among these are bilateral symmetry of the flower, highly modified petals, many 'upside down'flowers, and very small seeds. The flowers usually have three petals, two smaller with one larger and highly modified to attract specific insects or birds to pollinate them, though in colder regions, where insects are less abundant, they can self-pollinate. A few genera of orchids reproduce asexually by producing plantletts or shoots along the stem.

They tend to grow in one of two ways: They can grow upwards from a single bud where more leaves are added each year, making the stem longer, like vanilla does; or they can produce stems each year that grow to a certain length, bloom, then stop with the next year's growth occurring on a point along the previous year's growth, making it so these orchids grow horizontally rather than vertically, like the genus Cattleya.

Orchids can grow either in soil or on supports like trees without soil. When they grow on trees, their roots hang free and can reach a few meters long to absorb humidity and nutrients from the dust and detritus that lands on them. Some of these and the terrestrial orchids create what is called a pseudobulb, a thickening at the joint between roots and stem to store a reserve nutrients and water against their usual sources drying up.

Orchids are used for perfume as well as food, in the case of Vanilla's seed pods and early purple orchids as examples. Orchids also hold significance in many cultures. The Ancient Greeks give us the modern name of the plants from their demi-god Orchis, who was punished for attempted rape during a celebration of Dionysus by being torn apart and different plants growing from each part with the dual pseudobulbs common in the area symbolizing the source of the sin that brought about his demise, his testicles. This myth, however, appears to be an invention of Louis Liger, who wrote about it in his book Le Jardinier Fleuriste et Historiographe in 1704.

source https://scitechdaily.com/human-obsession-with-orchids-goes-as-far-back-as-roman-times/

Orchids were found on the Ara Pacis Augustae, the Alter of Agustan Peace, in Rome. The alter was consecrated on January 30, 9 BCE to commemorate the Pax Romana after Augusts returned from Hispania and Gual in 13 BCE, which signaled the beginning of a golden age about 200 years of internal stability in Rome. It was only recent study that the plants on carved into the alter and its surroundings were depictions of two orchids native to the Mediterranean, making them the oldest depictions known. Prior to this research, it was thought that orchids didn't appear in artwork until the Renaissance.

[botamer-florist-flower-delivery]

Elyria Florist

(440) 323-3108

How to Select the Perfect Birthday Celebration Arrangement for each Individuality

Blossoms, with their varied kinds and shades, reverberate in a different way with every person. Just as zodiac signs or individuality examinations provide understanding right into one's personality, the world of flowers too can mirror individual qualities. Look into the art of matching arrangements with characters for that flawless birthday celebration present.

The Enchanting Heart: Lilies and Roses

For those that wear their heart on their sleeves and value deep feelings, an arrangement of lilies and roses speaks volumes. Their style and beauty mirror the depths of an enchanting heart's emotions.

The Adventurous Spirit: Wildflowers and Orchids

For the ones that prosper on journey and continuously look for the undiscovered, a blended arrangement of wildflowers or the unique attraction of orchids matches their enthusiasm for life.

The Minimalist: Single Stem Calla Lily or Sunflower

Those that value simpleness and beauty would certainly like the charm of a single stem. The smooth shape of a Calla Lily or the glowing beauty of a sunflower envelops the minimalist's visual.

The Traditionalist: Carnations and Daisies

For people that value customs and have a traditional preference, the classic charm of carnations and daisies fits flawlessly, resembling their grounded nature.

The Optimist: Gerberas and Tulips

Brilliant, happy, and filled with hope, gerberas and tulips are the flower equivalents of those everlasting optimists that constantly see the glass half full.

The Daydreamer: Lavender and Baby's Breath

For the daydreamers and those with their heads in the clouds, the angelic appeal of lavender integrated with the fragile baby's breath captures their wayward nature.

The Pundit: Irises and Chrysanthemums

Deep thinkers and pundits would certainly value the elaborate charm of irises and chrysanthemums, blossoms that symbolize deepness and reflection.

The Go-Getter: Sunflowers and Gladiolus

For the enthusiastic and those that chase their desires non-stop, the tall gladiolus and glowing sunflower mirror their drive and resolution.

The Free Spirit: Wildflowers and Daffodils

Uncontrolled and constantly marching to the beat of their very own drum, the free spirits would certainly reverberate with the untamed appeal of wildflowers and the joyful spontaneity of daffodils.

The Nurturer: Peonies and Hydrangeas

Kind, caring, and constantly watching out for others, the nurturers would certainly value the soft, encompassing charm of peonies and hydrangeas, which represent concern and understanding.

Selecting the best blossoms is not just about looks; it has to do with recognizing the recipient's significance and showing it with nature's marvels. With this guide, you're geared up to select the best arrangement that speaks with the heart and reverberates with the soul. Whether it's for a good friend, relative, or loved one, let the flowers reveal the unexpressed, adding an additional touch of magic to their big day.

Flower Delivery Elyria OH

Botamer Florist is a local florist providing top notch floral arrangements and same-day flower delivery in Elyria, Ohio.

Since 1921, we have been gladly catering to our clients in Lorain County! Our reputation of enjoying nearly a century-long success, alongside having top competence in floral expressions and gift giving, has made us among the most trusted florists in Northeast Ohio.

Our team is entirely devoted to your pleasure and satisfaction as our customer! We will put in the time and care to listen to your special story and your particular preferences. And with that, we create the best floral arrangement that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations!

Whatever the occasion, Botamer Florist has the best blooms for you! We have a huge selection of 100% fresh and top quality blooms. Whether it's spectacular arrangements for huge events or simple bouquets for everyday delights, we've got it all.

Flowers often reveal what words can never say. Our floral designs help you share what's in your heart. Whether you wish to say "I love you" or "Thank you", "Congratulations" or "I'm sorry for your loss", "You're special" or "You are loved", we've got you covered.

It is our delight and honor to be part of the most special day of your life! Our team specializes in wedding flowers, committing their talents in floral artistry to produce custom arrangements that make memories you'll hold dear for life. Let us help you make your dream wedding come alive!

In times of grief and trouble, we're here for you. Our team also has a wide variety of sympathy arrangements and presents. From pretty flowers to thoughtful food baskets to comforting sympathy stones, we'll help you show your care and concern for mourning loved ones.

When you need gifts to celebrate a special occasion, look no more than our compilation of exciting gifts! We have a line of great live plants and blossoming plants, along with wall art and mementos.

When the event calls for flowers and gifts, count on Botamer Florist!

Make your wedding an enchanting, remarkable event with pink and white roses. Bring a smile to your friend's face with a sunflower gift basket on their birthday. Express your unique love on your anniversary with bright blooms. Surprise a loved one with a brand new plant for their garden.

Add delight to the season with an autumn arrangement. Give your mother a vase of her best-loved flowers to express your love and gratitude. Send a sympathy food basket to bring comfort to a grief-stricken loved one. Whatever your floral needs are, we've got you covered!

Your happiness is our top priority. That's why we deliver all your flowers and gifts on schedule and with zero trouble! We also offer special delivery to hospitals, retirement communities, nursing homes, and funeral homes in Elyria and neighboring areas.

Ready to put in your order? Call us now at (440) 323-3108 or email us at conniebutler.botamerflorist@yahoo.com for your orders and requests. You can also browse through our website for more information at https://www.botamerflorist.com/.

Flower Shop Elyria

Botamer Florist & Flower Delivery 511 Abbe Road North, Suite D Elyria, OH 44035 (440) 323-3108 https://www.botamerflorist.com/

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Flower Delivery Elyria

[steliosagapitos]

~ "The MET MUSEUM Pin. Circa 1890 Gold, diamond, and enamel 1 x 3 1/4 in. Tiffany & Co. On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 706; Accession Number: 2001.330; Related to the extraordinary enameled orchids displayed by Tiffany & Company at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris, this flower pin with a textured gold stem and diamond-set leaves is enhanced by a single diamond dewdrop set amid the realistically rendered purple enamel petals." ~

[bumblebeeappletree]

Tammy digs deep on what’s happening below the soil and shows us how to divide roots for more plants.

Leaves, flowers and fruits are the stars of the plant world and capture our hearts with beauty and delight. But it’s the unsung heroes deep below the surface that are doing much of the hard work. Roots take up water, oxygen and nutrients for the rest of the plant, as well as sometimes storing energy. They offer anchorage and stability and support the glamourous beauty above.

The key to healthy roots is to choose the right soil because bringing them home means giving them a modified environment. Many indoor plants have roots that trace back to the rainforest, so they love premium potting-mix, rich with composted bark and organic matter. Whereas plants whose roots trace back to the desert, like cacti and succulents, love free-draining mix with sandy, grainy textures. You can find out more about your plants' preferences by checking the label or asking your local nursery. The right soil will allow the right balance of air and water to support the functioning of these very valuable roots.

Tap roots:

The humble carrot is a fine example of a tap root. It consists of one main single organ with only a few light root hairs. It’s strong and tough allowing it to penetrate down deep to access water. Much of the plant’s sugars are stored here which is why carrots taste sweet when cooked.

Fibrous roots:

Many grasses, bulbs and ferns grow fibrous roots. These are dense networks which spread out from the centre stem in search of water. Some plants may grow in clumps where an offshoot from the root or stem has the potential to be a new plant on its own. Clumping systems like zebra plant and flamingo flower can be easily divided.

Adventitious roots:

Adventitious roots are a broad category that are specialised for different functions. Orchids and Monstera have aerial roots which evolved to harvest water from the air and help climb high into the canopy. You can prune these off if unsightly. Other plants such as kikuyu grass, Snake Plant and Rabbit foot fern grow from rhizomes which are underground stems that function like roots. Rhizomes spread sideways sending up new shoots and roots at each node with all the material needed to form a new plant.

Vegetative reproduction:

Plants can create a new plant without a flower or a pollinator and it’s easy to take advantage of this to create more plants! Tammy shows us how to divide and multiply clumping roots and rhizomes.

Dividing Clumping Roots:

- Remove the plant from its container and loosen soil around the root system.

- Look carefully for a natural separation of plant material. There may be individual root systems coming from separate crowns (crown = connection point between root and stem).

- Gently tease these root systems away from each other. For smaller plants you can often do this by hand. Larger plants may be interwoven tightly, a sharp hand tool or spade may be required.

- Check each plant has a healthy set of roots and stems, discard ones damaged in the process.

- Shake off excess soil and remove dead growth or root fragments. Keep moist until planting.

- Prepare soil and re-plant at the original planting depth as soon as possible.

- You may want to cut back some foliage and water in with liquid feed to reduce plant shock.

Dividing Rhizomes:

- Look carefully along the rhizome for nodes of growth that have either a shoot or root forming.

- Using a clean sharp, non-serrated blade, cut into sections that retain one to three nodes each.

- Allow the individual plants to air-dry for a day or so before re-planting – this helps the open wound harden over and better regulate water intake.

- Plant close to the surface, only a few centimetres under the soil and water in.

- Keep moist until you can see new growth sprouting from the nodes of the rhizome. Depending on your plant, this may take 1 to 4 weeks. Anticipation is the most fun part of the process.

Plant roots are amazing! They are hardworking and often provide invisible support to the plants we know and love. Treat them well and they return the favour with lots of lush healthy growth.

[cedar-glade]

A hairy star chickweed with multiple flowers and stems with cauline petiolate foliage arises out of a choss pocket with rich mesic mineral soil.

An ode’ to Stellaria spp. a brand new group of interest to me.

I want to talk about this I do, These are from last year, here we have a case of me learning that I was just accepting these as just starry chickweed and realizing that I never learned to ID past that point.  This is S. pubera but, why and how, usually I associate this plant with mesic woods only but in truth we see “it” as a complex everywhere, there are only a few legit Identifiers for this. These won’t show you good examples of this issue of ID or the complex but I took plenty of photos this year that I haven't uploaded on my cpu yet. The S. pubera complex seems to revolve more around site, height, morphology, and range restrictions, the flowers are the same in the complex and tend to be large, the issue with some minor distinctions are clumping populations with multiple stems and single stems individuals with one flower only per plant, the leafs tend to either be cauline entirely sessile or having lower petioles that are cauline with almost near clasping sessile leaves t’word the top. The interesting thing is I can still make a claim that it is S. pubera and not S. corei due to a few minor differences, It definitely helps to have a well backed range map too but these are somewhat incomplete due to mis-ID and un-updated herbarium specimens.

Two key characters Ive focused on are length of sepals being much longer on Core’s and the petals being almost fully dissected down to it’s attachment point.

Its more clear to see this S. pubera, the sepals are not longer than the petals and you can clearly see the 5 dissected petals that are bifidate instead of core’s which really looks like 10 petals at first glance. So, with that said, I can only ID these when they are in bloom. Most Key texts/ flora’s are also only up to par with this ID limit. 

Stellaria corei, Tenessee chickweed, a cool species for sure now that I know it correlates with ecotone in many cases.

Stellaria corei, an interesting common name for something who’s core is the Ohio River Valley, Its one of those common gripes you learn to deal with because you have to accept a described from location as common name instead of just calling it Core’s starweed or chickweed. Ecotone rich mesic alkaline hill to dry alkaline species. Really a generalist but does occur more often in these specific woodland ecotones.

Stellaria fontinalis, I literally went to TN and was at Mays prairie, I was distracted and I feel really dumb too many distracting endemics imo, At the same time, I was very distracted by snowy orchids, blue rattlesnake master, 10 species of st. johns worts, Silphium mohrii and many other cool species. This is a wet karst species that I managed to overlook :/ learned about it this year, rather 2 months ago in prep with plant walks.

Stellaria pubera, starry as a complex, common chickweed, Coastal, Great Plains, Pacific, Atlantic, Upper Midwest, Rocky, and Mesic, SIngle flowered sessile, Cauline petioled multiflower are still all deciding factors.

Stellaria longifolia, narrow long leaf species, might as well look like it should be angustifolia or longifolia or linaris would of also been good names for it. 

[vaida-talks-about-everything]

Kailman Legacy || 08: A Mother's Flowers from a Country Garden

It's Love Day in the world of the Sims, and DJ took it upon himself to drive home to ask his mom to make one of her beautiful flower bouquets for Sakura, a pretty and intelligent fellow doctor. The best way to get a woman off your mind is to put another one in her place, right, DJ? It was also a great excuse to hang out with his little brother and see how Eleanor Jane was after her recent birthday. They talked about Edith Dean's recent visit, and DJ was happy that her spirits were lifted despite the drama.

While lunch was made, DJ told Emma about the woman he'd wanted the flowers for, and she was happy to hear of her, telling him she'd love to meet her should things work out. After all, what mother wouldn't want to see her handsome and successful son settle down with someone he considers an equal? Dominick couldn't help but squeeze between them to hear his older brother talk about his work and life in the city. He was also drawn to caring for his fellow Sim and thought following in DJ's footsteps would be a good idea.

The family then had a picnic on the farm, and DJ was sufficiently prepared to see what could happen between him and the woman on his mind. He invited her to the park since they both had the day off. She looked all the more cute in the spring sunshine and out of hospital scrubs, and the two took a walk, asking about their lives outside of work. She admitted that Love Day was always a bit of a sore spot for her due to some bad breakups happening around that time, and he appreciated her honesty. He shared that while he hadn't had a serious relationship yet, he admired his parents' commitment and consistent care for each other and their children. Now that he's gotten older, he'd love to have a similar legacy. Coming from parents who were never together, Sakura admired this dream of his.

As the afternoon progressed into early evening, DJ finally gave her the gift he'd gotten for her, a bouquet of pink orchids courtesy of Mrs. Emma Kailman. Sakura was honored to receive something so intentional and homemade and quickly gave him the single-stem rose she'd picked from her community garden the day they'd talked in the break room. She admitted that she couldn't stop thinking about him since then but didn't want to make things awkward.

Overjoyed to know that his interest was reciprocated, he took her hands in his, and the two knew this was the start of something.

[praeteritus-memories]

11, 31, 25 (for kakyoin)

What do you look for in someone you wish to date? What do you find attractive?

"I don't really think about physical features because I just don't think it's important. What I look for more is someone who just understands me. It's hard being alone all these years, without even a single friend beyond my family, so someone who understands me is all I can ask for. I would say a stand user too, just so I don't sound insane or scare someone with my stand's abilities, but I might be asking for too much."

Do you like candles? How many do you have and what scents?

"I like candles but I personally don't have any. I just like the orchid and fruit scents my mother has."

What habits/tics do you have? Do you annoy people with them?

"I like to roll cherries on my tongue! Apparently it must make people uncomfortable, because Jojo didn't care for it too much when I showed my skills. I also can tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue too!" Something he's pretty proud of actually. "Other than that, I don't think I have any other tics or habits, or any that people find annoying. Ah, well maybe Jojo found the cherry rolling to be annoying."